Plastic article and method of production

ABSTRACT

Production of a decorative iridescent cast plastic article comprising a clear cast resin, e.g., polyester, body having embedded therein an embossed multicolored iridescent facsimile on a metal, e.g., aluminum, foil of a multicolored iridescent body, e.g., an abalone shell, the embossed facsimile forming a multicolored iridescent image of the iridescent body in the cast resin, with highlights corresponding to those of the iridescent body, said iridescent cast plastic article being produced by forming color separation negatives from a photographic color transparency of such iridescent body, producing lithographic printing plates from the respective color transparencies, printing the colored image of such iridescent body from said lithographic plates onto a pre-determined area of a metal, e.g., aluminum, foil, embossing into the resulting facsimile on such metal foil, a surface contour bringing out the highlights of the iridescent body, cutting the metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile from the metal foil, and embedding the metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile in a clear casting resin.

United States Patent Brody May 2, 1972 [541 PLASTIC ARTICLE AND METHODOF PRODUCTION [72] Inventor: Norman M. Brody, Los Angeles, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Norman Industries, Inc., Santa Fe Springs,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Jan. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 106,706

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,812,134 6/1931 Bragger eta1 ..161/5 X 1,936,980 11/1933 Hooton ..156/300 X 3,287,481 11/1966Trojan et a1. ..264/139 3,312,197 4/1967 Smith ..264/271 X 3,410,934 1H1968 Kuritzkes et a1. ..161/5 X 3,481,663 12/1969 Greenstein ..16l/5XPrimary Examiner-William A. Powell Attorney-Max Geldin ABSTRACTProduction of a decorative iridescent cast plastic article comprising aclear cast resin, e.g., polyester, body having embedded therein anembossed multicolored iridescent facsimile on a metal, e.g., aluminum,foil of a multicolored iridescent body, e.g., an abalone shell, theembossed facsimile forming a multicolored iridescent image of theiridescent body in the cast resin, with highlights corresponding tothose of the iridescent body, said iridescent cast plastic article beingproduced by forming color separation negatives from a photo graphiccolor transparency of such iridescent body, producing lithographicprinting plates from the respective color transparencies, printing thecolored image of such iridescent body from said lithographic plates ontoa pre-determined area of a metal, e.g., aluminum, foil, embossing intothe resulting facsimile on such metal foil, a surface contour bringingout the highlights of the iridescent body, cutting the metal foilembossed iridescent facsimile from the metal foil, and embedding themetal foil embossed iridescent facsimile in a clear casting resin.

16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures This invention relates to production ofdecorative plastic articles, and is particularly concerned with theprovision of such plastic articles having embedded therein a metal foilmulticolored iridescent facsimile of a multicolored iridescent body,such as an abalone shell, so that when such iridescent facsimile isviewed by an observer through the cast plastic, there is seen an imagehaving highlights corresponding to those of the iridescent body, e.g.,an abalone shell, and forming a multiplicity of iridescent colors uponmovement of the image with respect to the eye of the observer, suchmulticolored iridescent image produced by the facsimile in the castresin closely resembling the multicolored iridescent body, so that itappears that the iridescent body itself, e.g., the abalone shell, isembedded in the resin.

It has been known in the decorative arts to incorporate or embedartistic and/or colorful items in aclear cast resin. Thus, for example,avery colorful and artistic iridescent cast plastic article can beproduced asa decorative piece, by-embedding varicolored iridescentabalone shells in a clear cast resin, and when viewed by an observer,upon movement of the cast plastic article, or movement of the eyes ofthe observer, a very interesting and colorful variety of irridescent'colors is reflected from the highlights of the varicolored iridescentabalone shells through the clear plastic, which change color upon suchmovement.

However, many iridescent bodies which are highly colorful andiridescent, such as abalone shells, are relatively expensive, and it hasbeen sought in the decorative arts to provide colorful iridescentplasticv articles of the type noted above, but replacing the actualiridescent body previously embeddedin the plastic, with less expensivesubstitute materials, while achieving the same artistic and colorfuleffect noted above.

Further, art objects such as abalone shells come, in varying shapes andsizes and are of varying thickness, and it is accordingly difficult toembed a number of such shells in a cast plastic of a given thickness,particularly at the same depth therein. Moreover, when handled for thispurpose, the shells are easily broken into small fragments. In addition,many of the shells are not very colorful or lustrous so that the shellsrequire sorting and selection prior to embedding them in the plasticbody. Hence, the proper selection and then embedment of art objects suchas abalone shells in a cast resin requires a considerable amount of handlabor and therefore is relatively expensive.

U. S. Pat. No. 2,712,190 discloses incorporation of light reflectingmetal foils in plastics to produce ornamental objects, the iridescentefi'ect being obtained by the interference of light reflectedfrom thefront and the back of a pair of thin metal films, and through theplastic layers and the metal films therebetween.

U. S. Pat. No. 1,941,736 discloses a process of producing reliefpictures on metal foils.

U. S.' Pat- No. 3,364,090 discloses a method of making athree-dimensional display panel featuring a transparentdisplay panelhaving one side configured in half-tones to produce a relief imagethereon visible on both sides of the panel.

However, none of the prior art, including those patents noted above,teaches or discloses the production of decorative iridescent plasticarticles, according to the invention, formed of an embossed or relievedreplica of an iridescent body such as an abalone shell, incorporated ina cast resin body, to provide a replica of the iridescent body, havingthe same coloration and highlights of the iridescent body, so that thesame pleasing variegated iridescent'color effects are achieved byviewing such replica through the cast resin body, as would be the caseif the iridescent body itself, e.g., iridescent abalone shells, wereembeddedin the cast resin body.

Thus, the invention provides a method of producing an iridescent castplastic article, which comprises photographing in full color amulticolored iridescent body, e. g., of varying surface .contour,to forma color transparency, converting said color transparency into colorseparation negatives, producing lithographic printing plates from therespective color separation negatives, said lithographic printing platesbeing colored corresponding to the color of the respective colorseparation negatives, printing the colored image on each of saidlithographic plates in succession in a predetermined area of a metalfoil to form a multicolored facsimile of said iridescent body on saidmetal foil, forming an embossing plate having a surface contourcorresponding to the highlights of said iridescent body, registering andcontacting said embossing plate with said multicolored iridescentfacsimile on a metal, e.g., aluminum, foil to form an embossediridescent facsimile of said iridescent body on said metal foil, cuttingsaid metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile from said metal foil, andembedding said metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile in a clearcasting resin, to form a multicolored iridescent image of saidiridescent body in said cast rein, said image having highlightscorresponding to those of said iridescent body, and forming amultiplicity of iridescent colors upon movement of said image withrespect to the eye of an observer, said multicolored iridescent imageproduced by said facsimile in said cast resin closely resembling saidmulticolored iridescent body.

In preferred practice, the invention process includes initially coatingthe multicolored iridescent body with a clear resin to enhance theiridescence of the body prior to the above noted photogaphing of theiridescent body to form the color transparency.

Also, in preferred practice, the color transparency is converted intofour color separation negatives, colored respectively .with the fourbasic process colors, that is, magenta, cyan, yellow and black, andproducing four of the above noted lithographic printing plates from therespective color separation negatives.

According to a preferred method for embedding the iridescent facsimilein the clear casting resin, a clear liquid casting resin is first pouredin a mold to form a first resin layer, the first resin layer ispermitted to partially solidify, the metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile is placed on the partially solidified first resin layer, asecond layer of clear liquid casting resin is placed over the firstlayer and over the metal foil facsimile, and the first and second layersof the casting resin are completely solidified, to embed the metal foilfacsimile in the resulting case resin body between the first and secondlayers.

The metal foil carrying the embossed iridescent facsimile of themulticolored iridescent body, can be any type of metal foil such asaluminum foil, copper foil, brass foil, and the like, which can bereadily subjected to photolithographic printing for producing thecolored iridescent replica of the iridescent body, and which can beembossed to produce a relief or highlighted iridescent replica.

Any multicolored iridescent body can be employed for photographing andproduction of the foil embossed iridescent facsimile which is printed onthe metal foil and embedded in the plastic to produce a facsimilerepresentation of the iridescent body in the plastic. Thus, a preferrediridescent body for producing iridescent foil facsimiles according tothe invention are abalone shells, since when embedded in the resin, thehighlighted foil embossed multicolored iridescent facsimiles produce aparticularly striking variety of colors when the plastic article ismoved with respect to varying angles of the eye of an observer. However,other multicolored iridescent bodies can similarly be employed forproduction of foil. embossed iridescent facsimiles for incorporationinto the cast resin body to produce highly desirable decorative itemsaccording to the invention. I

The clear casting resins which can be employed for embedding the foilembossed iridescent facsimiles or replicas according to the inventioncan include any suitable clear casting resin such as polyester, acrylicand other resins such as polycarbonate resins. Preferred casting resinsfor purposes of the invention are the polyester resins.

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to thedescription below of a preferred embodiment of the invention, inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of representations of multicolored abalone shells,employed for producing multicolored facsimiles thereof on a metal foilfor embedment in a clear cast resin body, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustration of a portion of an aluminum foilhaving photolithographed thereon the pictorial multicolored facsimilesof the abalone shells illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the illustration of FIG. 2,taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of the aluminum foil of FIG. 2,having the photolithographed multicolored facsimiles of the abaloneshells contained thereon, and following embossing of such multicoloredfacsimiles to produce multicolored iridescent facsimiles of the abaloneshells of FIG. 1 on the aluminum foil;

FIG. 5 illustrates the method of embedding the die cut aluminum foilembossed iridescent facsimiles illustrated in FIG. 4, in a clearpolyester casting resin, to produce a decorative cast plastic articlecontaining the aluminum foil embossed multicolored iridescent facsimilesof the abalone shells illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the iridescent cast plastic article produced bythe method illustrated in FIG. 5, taken on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-section of an embossed iridescent facsimileof an abalone shell on an aluminum foil, embossed according to amodification of the invention.

The drawing is exaggerated for greater clarity.

Referring to FIG. 1, numerals 10 and 12 illustrate multicolorediridescent abalone shells which are processed according to the inventionto produce embossed multicolored iridescent facsimiles on an aluminumfoil, for embedment in a cast polyester resin body according to theprocedure described below.

According to preferred practice, the shells 10 and 12 are first dippedinto a clear liquid casting resin, e.g., containing a curing catalyst,and which can be, for example, a clear polyester or a clear acryliccasting resin, and the resin coating formed on the abalone shells isthen solidified and hardened to form a transparent film thereon. Theformation of the transparent resin coating on the abalone shellsenhances and enriches the iridescence of the shells by reflected lightrays from the highlights of the shells. However, although this initialcoating operation is preferred, it is not essential and this step can beomitted.

The multicolored iridescent abalone shells l0 and 12, preferablycontaining a clear or transparent resin coating thereon as noted above,are photographed in full color to form multicolored transparencies ofthe respective iridescent abalone shells, e. g., of the same size as theshells themselves.

The full color transparencies of the abalone shells 10 and 12 aretheneach converted into color separation negatives, preferably one colorseparation negative for each basic color, e.g., one color separationnegative for each of the basic process colors magenta, cyan and yellow,and which can also include black, These color separation negatives areprocessed in known manner so as to produce a half-tone dot structure forproduction of lithographic plates, one for each of the above noted basiccolors, for each of the shells l0 and 12.

Lithographic plates are then made from each of the color separationnegatives, using colored transparent inks, each of the lithographicplates formed from the color separation negatives for each shell, beingcolored with an ink corresponding to one of the basic colors notedabove.

The production of the above noted color transparencies for each shell 10and 12, the conversion of such transparencies into color separationnegatives having a half-tone dot structure, employing suitable filtersfor this purpose, and the production of regular or conventionallithographic printing plates from the color separation negatives, e.g.,by use of light sensitive resists on the lithographic plates andconventional etching procedures followed by application of theappropriate color ink to each of the lithographic plates, areconventional procedures well known in the art, and which per se form nopart of the present invention.

Each of the four lithographic printing plates containing that portion ofthe multicolored image of the abalone shells l0 and 12, corresponding toone of the above noted basic colors magenta, cyan, yellow and black, issuccessively contacted or rolled over a predetermined area on analuminum foil 16 carried on a paper backing 18. Each of the basic colorimages on the four lithographic plates for each abalone shellrepresentation are separately applied to and printed on the areaindicated at 19 or 20 on the aluminum foil 16, and after the colored inkapplied by each of the four lithographic plates is applied, the ink isallowed to dry before the next color applied by another lithographicplate is contacted with the area 19 or 20. Thus, in usual practice, foreach of the image representations 10a and 12a of the original abaloneshells 10 and 12, lithographically printed in the areas 19 and 20, thelighter colored portion of the image, that is yellow, is first applied,then magenta, then cyan, and finally black, when employed.

After the ink has dried following lithographic printing of themulticolored facsimiles 10a and 12a of abalone shells 10 and 12 on thealuminum foil 16, it is noted that although the facsimiles 10a and 12aare corresponding multicolored replicas of the abalone shells 10 and 12,at this stage of the procedure the multicolored facsimiles 10a and 12ado not have the iridescence of the abalone shells 10 and 12, because theplanar surfaces of the multicolored facsimiles 10a and 12a on thealuminum foil 16 do not permit reflection of the light raysv from thehighlights, as is the case of the natural abalone shells l0 and 12 dueto the irregular surface thereof. In order to provide a surface of themulticolored facsimiles 10a and 12a, which brings out the highlights andprovides the iridescent quality of the abalone shells 10 and 12,following drying of the ink after lithographic printing of each of themulticolored facsimiles 10a and 12a, embossing plates produced asdescribed below are applied to each of the multicolored facsimiles 10aand 12a, in the manner pointed out below.

The embossing plates are produced by placing tracing paper on therespective color transparencies of abalone shells 10 and 12, and tracingout the areas of the highlights in each case. According to one mode ofprocedure, these highlight areas on the tracings are then blocked inwith ink and photographic negative is then made from each of thetracings and the negative placed in contact with a photosensitizedsurface of an embossing die or plate. The sensitized surface is thenexposed to light and the light-hardened portions remain while theunexposed portions are removed, and the exposed portions of the plateare then etched to form the embossing plate. This procedure forproducing the embossing plate from the inked tracings is a well knownprocedure and does not per se form a part of the present invention.

The embossing plate or die produced from the inked tracing of the colortransparencies of one of the abalone shells l0, and sculptured or etchedpreferably to approximate the depth of the abalone shell 10, accordingto the above noted procedure, is then registered with the multicoloredfacsimile 10a on the aluminum foil 16 and contacted with the abaloneshell reproduction 10a on the aluminum foil to form the embossed colorreproduction, indicated at 1017 in FIG. 4.

The embossing plate also produced in the manner described abovecorresponding to the abalone shall reproduction 12a of FIG. 2, issimilarly registered and contacted with the reproduction 12a on thealuminum foil 16 for producing the embossed multicolor reproduction 12bof the abalone shell, illustrated in FIG. 4.

Following embossing of the multicolored abalone shell facsimiles orreproductions 10a and 124, the resulting embossed multicolorreproductions 10b and 12b in the aluminum foil 16 in FIG. 4, now exhibitan iridescence corresponding to the original abalone shells 10 and 12.

The multicolored iridescent facsimiles or reproductions b and 12bmounted on the aluminum foil 16 are cut from the aluminum sheet. Thiscan be accomplished in a separate operation following embossing, or theembossing die for each of the reproductions 10b and 12b can be designedso that the outer ridge of the die forming the boundary around therespective abalone shell reproductions 10b and 12b, and which protrudessomewhat beyond the embossed areas, cuts through the aluminum foil andpaper around each multicolored iridescent printed image 10b and 12b ofthe abalone shells 10 and 12.

Referring to FIG. 5, the resulting separate multicolored iridescentabalone shell units 100 and 120, comprising the multicolored iridescentreproductions 10b and 12b, each mounted on the aluminum foil 16, areembedded in a 'clear polyester resin in the manner described below.

A first layer of 'a clear casting resin such as a clear polyester orclear acrylic casting resin, in liquid form, is placed in a mold 22, theresin layer being illustrated at 24.

The resin preferably employed in' accordance with the invention is aconventional clear polyester casting resin available commercially in thetrade from various manufacturers. Generally such polyester resins areproduced by reaction of dibasic acids such as maleic acid, with dihydricalcohols, and usually containing an unsaturated monomer such as styrene.The polyester is available commercially in the first stage ofpolymerization, that is the ester formation stage. Just prior to use,that is just prior to pouring in a mold, a suitable peroxide catalystsuch as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, is added, to effect hardening,which can take place at room temperature over an extended period, orsuch hardening can be accelerated by the application of heat. Mixturesor blends of various types of polyester resins can be employed so as toobtain a desired type of cast resin product, which can be either hardyand glass-like or relatively soft and flexible and hence shatter-proofif dropped, and forming a clear transparent resin body.

I After permitting the first clear polyester layer 24 to partiallysolidify, the abalone shell facsimiles 10c and 12c are placed in apredetermined spaced relation with respect to each other, I

on the surface of the first clear polyester layer, as indicated bydotted line 26 in FIG. 5. The facsimile units 10c and 120 of the abaloneshells are placed on the surface of the polyester resin layer 24 withthe multicolored reproductions 10b and 12b facing downwardly, asillustrated in FIG. 5. Thereafter, a second layer of clear castingresin, preferably polyester resin, in liquid form, is poured over thefirst layer 24 and over the abalone shell facsimile units 100 and 120,to a predetermined height in the mold. This placement of themulticolored abalone shell units 10c and 12c between the two polyesterresin layers 24 and 28, upon curing and solidifying of the resin layers,gives the effect of the multicolored abalone shell images 10b and 12bfloating in the resin medium.

Upon partial solidification of the second polyester resin layer 28, afinal opaque resin layer 30, in the form of a liquid casting resin, suchas a polyester casting resin, and containing an opaque color such asblack, is poured over the upper surface of the second layer 28 to apredetermined height in the mold.

Following a short period of setting at ambient temperature in the mold,e.g., about 20 to about 30 minutes, the resulting article or unit 32,comprising the resin body formed of the resin pours 24, 28 and 30,having embedded therein the abalone shell facsimile units 10c and 12ccomprising the multicolored iridescent facsimiles or images 10b and 12bof the abalone shells 10 and 12, each mounted on aluminum foil, anddisposed parallel to the surfaces 34 and 36 of the clear cast resinbody, is passed through an infra red oven operating at a temperatureranging from about 140 F to about 160 F. The unit 32 is permitted toremain in the oven for about 20 to about 30 minutes and is then removedand permitted to cool. It will be understood, if desired, that the resincan be cured at room temperature, but requiring a longer curing periodunder these conditions. The resulting cast plastic article, illustratedin FIGS. 6 and 7, when viewed through the upper clear cast resin surface34, with the opaque resin layer 30 on the far side, shows themulticolored iridescent facsimiles or images 10b and 12b against a blackopaque background provided by the outer opaque resin layer 30. Theembossed reproductions 10b and 12b of the abalone shells, printed withthe multicolored transparent inks, emit a variety of iridescent colors,closely resembling the iridescent shells 10 and 12. Light striking thehigh spots of the embossed areas of the facsimiles 10b and 12b changecolor and become more reflective as the article or unit 32 is moved withrespect to the eye, or as the eye of the observer is moved to differentangles with respect to the surfaces 34 of the plastic article 32. Thisis due to the multiple reflections of light rays from the various reliefand highlighted surfaces of the embossed color replicas 10b and 12bcorresponding to the highlighted areas of shells 10 and 12.

It will be understood that any number ofembossed multicoloredreproductions of the abalone shells on aluminum foil can be incorporatedinto the clear polyester resin body formed of the layers 24 and 28, soas to enhance the artistic effect obtained upon viewing the abaloneshell replicas through the plastic body. This is illustrated by theaddition of another multicolored embossed reproduction 13b on aluminumfoil embodying unit 13c, forming the image of another abalone shell, asillustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 6, similar to reproduction units and120.

In addition to reproducing the iridescent character of the originalabalone shells, upon movement of the plastic article 32 containing theembossed multicolored abalone shell replicas, with respect to the eye ofan observer, the abalone shell images embedded in the plastic bodytake'on a threedimensional form in the plastic, and the combination ofthe reproduced multicolored representation, the iridescence emanatingtherefrom and the three-dimensional effect of the abalone shell imagesin the plastic body, produces an effect which closely resembles theeffect obtained if the abalone shells 10 and 12 themselves were embeddedin the plastic body 32,instead of the embossed multicolored replicas10b, 12c and 130.

FIG. 8 illustrates a modification of the embossed multicolored facsimile10b produced from the abalone shell 10. Thus, the embossed multicoloredreproduction 10b is 'the same as 10b on the paperback aluminum foil l6,and produced in the same manner as the colored facsimile 10b, exceptthat the embossing plate for printing the embossed image 10b has highsand lows of equal depth, distributed uniformly over the plate, so thatwhen the plate is contacted with the multicolored printed image 10a ofFIG. 3, the embossed multicolored replica 10b of the abalone shell 10 isformed, with corresponding high and low surface portions 40 and 42, asnoted in FIG. 8, distributed uniformly over the surface of themulticolored reproduction 10b. Although this modified embossedreproduction 10b, with its embossed surfaces brings out in large measurethe highlights of the original of the abalone shell 10, when viewedthrough the plastic body, e.g., 32 in which it is embedded as describedabove, it does not produce as great an iridescent effect as in the caseof the multicolored embossed reproductions 10b and 12b in which thesurfaces more truly correspond to the highs and lows of the surfaces inthe shells 10 and 12, and thus more faithfully bring out the highlightsof the shells. However, the modification of FIG. 8 does have the virtuethat it is more economical to produce than the embossed replicasillustrated at 10b and 12b.

Although the present invention has been described above chiefly inconnection with the production of iridescent multicolored replicas ofabalone shells, for embedment in a clear casting resin body, theprinciples of the invention can also be applied to other configurationsuch as cartoon characters, and the like, creating a reflectediridescent light motion by reflection, refraction and the like, as inthe case of the iridescent effect produced as described above withrespect to the embossed multicolored abalone shell reproductions.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the invention provides forproduction of iridescent plastic articles having a pleasing andinteresting effect on the eye of the viewer, employing in place of anexpensive article or art object itself such as abalone shells, embeddedin plastic, facsimiles of or reproductions of such objects which trulyreproduce substantially the same effect as the art objects themselves,but produced in accordance with the invention at a substantially lowercost than by use of the artistic articles themselves.

Further, as applied to abalone shells as described above, since themulticolored iridescent facsimiles or reproductions of the shells areembossed into a thin planar sheet of metal foil, the placement of aplurality of such foil reproductions at a certain level or planarlocation in the clear casting resin and the embedment therein arefacilitated, pennitting a continuity of operation of the process ascompared to the difficult task of embedding the abalone shells per se inthe casting resin and the selection of suitable shells for this purpose,which are avoided by the present invention. Also, in many instances amore colorful iridescent reproduction of an abalone shellis obtainedaccording to the invention, as compared to the abalone shell itself.These advantages also apply to the reproduction of other art-objectsaccording to the invention.

While I have described particular embodiments of my invention for thepurpose of illustration, it should be understood that othermodifications and adaptations thereof may be made within the spirit ofthe invention, and hence the invention is not to be taken as limitedexcept by the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A method of producing an iridescent cast plastic article, whichcomprises photographing in full color a multicolored iridescent body, toform a color transparency, converting said color transparency into colorseparation negatives, producing lithographic printing plates from therespective color separation negatives, said lithographic printing platesbeing colored corresponding to the color of the respective colorseparation negatives, printingthe colored image on each of saidlithographic plate in succession in a predetermined area of a metal foilto form a multicolored facsimile of said iridescent body on said metalfoil, forming an embossing plate having a surface contour correspondingto the highlights of said iridescent body, registering and contactingsaid embossing plate with said multicolored iridescent facsimile on saidmetal foil to form an embossed iridescent facsimile of said iridescentbody on said metal foil, cutting said metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile from said metal foil, and embedding said metal foil embossediridescent facsimile in a clear casting'resin, to form a multicolorediridescent image of said iridescent body in said clear cast resin, saidimage having highlights corresponding to those of said iridescent body,and forming a multiplicity of iridescent colors upon movement of saidimage with respect to the eye of an observer, said multicolorediridescent image produced by said facsimile in said cast resin closelyresembling said multicolored iridescent body.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, including initially coating saidmulticolored iridescent body with a clear resin to enhance theiridescence of said body prior to said photographing said iridescentbody.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, including converting said colortransparency into magenta, cyan, yellow and black color separationnegatives, and producing four said lithographic printing plates fromsaid respective color transparencies, said lithographic printing platesbeing colored magenta, cyan, yellow and black.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, said embedding said metal foilembossed iridescent facsimile in said clear casting resin comprisingpouring a clear liquid casting resin in a mold to form a first resinlayer, permitting said first resin layer to partially solidify, placingsaid metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile on said partiallysolidified first resin layer, pouring a second layer of clear liquidcasting resin over said first layer and said metal foil facsimile, andcompletely solidifying said first and second layers and casting resin,to embed said metal foil facsimile in the resulting cast resin body.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, said metal foil being an aluminumfoil, and said clear cast resin being a clear polyester casting resin.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, said multicolored iridescent bodybeing an abalone shell, and said metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile being a metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile of saidabalone shell.

7. A method as defined in claim 2, including converting said colortransparency into magenta, cyan, yellow and black color separationnegatives, and producing four said lithographic printing plates fromsaid respective color transparencies, said lithographic printing platesbeing colored magenta, cyan, yellow and black.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, said metal foil being an aluminumfoil, and said clear cast resin being a clear polyester casting resin.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, said multicolored iridescent bodybeing an abalone shell, and said metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile being a metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile of saidabalone shell.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, said embedding said metal foilembossed iridescent facsimile in said clear casting resin comprisingpouring a clear liquid casting resin in a mold to form a first resinlayer, permitting said first resin layer to partially solidify, placingsaid metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile on said partiallysolidified first resin layer, pouring a second layer of clear liquidcasting resin over said first layer and said metal foil facsimile, andcompletely solidifying said first and second layers of casting resin, toembed said metal foil facsimile in the resulting cast resin body.

1 1. An iridescent cast plastic article which comprises a clear castresin body having embedded therein an embossed multicolored iridescentfacsimile on a metal foil of a multicolored iridescent body of varyingsurface contour, said embossed facsimile having surface portionscorresponding to the highlights of the surface contour of saidiridescent body, and forming a multicolored iridescent image of saidiridescent body in said cast resin, said image having highlightscorresponding to those of said iridescent body, said image producing amultiplicity of iridescent colors upon movement of said image withrespect to the eye of an observer, said iridescent image produced bysaid metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile embedded in said castresin, closely resembling said multicolored iridescent body.

12. An iridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 11, saidmetal foil being an aluminum foil.

13. An iridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 11, said castresin body being a clear polyester cast resin.

14. An iridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 12, said castresin body being a clear polyester cast resin.

15. An iridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 11, saidembossed multicolored iridescent facsimile being an embossedmulticolored iridescent facsimile of a multicolored iridescent abaloneshell.

16. An iridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 14, saidemboxed multicolored iridescent facsimile being an embossed multicolorediridescent facs'unile of a multicolored iridescent abalone shell.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, including initially coating saidmulticolored iridescent body with a clear resin to enhance theiridescence of said body prior to said photographing said iridescentbody.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, including converting said colortransparency into magenta, cyan, yellow and black color separationnegatives, and producing four said lithographic printing plates fromsaid respective color transparencies, said lithographic printing platesbeing colored magenta, cyan, yellow and black.
 4. A method as defined inclaim 1, said embedding said metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile insaid clear casting resin comprising pouring a clear liquid casting resinin a mold to form a first resin layer, permitting said first resin layerto partially solidify, placing said metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile on said partially solidified first resin layer, pouring asecond layer of clear liquid casting resin over said first layer andsaid metal foil facsimile, and compLetely solidifying said first andsecond layers and casting resin, to embed said metal foil facsimile inthe resulting cast resin body.
 5. A method as defined in claim 1, saidmetal foil being an aluminum foil, and said clear cast resin being aclear polyester casting resin.
 6. A method as defined in claim 1, saidmulticolored iridescent body being an abalone shell, and said metal foilembossed iridescent facsimile being a metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile of said abalone shell.
 7. A method as defined in claim 2,including converting said color transparency into magenta, cyan, yellowand black color separation negatives, and producing four saidlithographic printing plates from said respective color transparencies,said lithographic printing plates being colored magenta, cyan, yellowand black.
 8. A method as defined in claim 7, said metal foil being analuminum foil, and said clear cast resin being a clear polyester castingresin.
 9. A method as defined in claim 8, said multicolored iridescentbody being an abalone shell, and said metal foil embossed iridescentfacsimile being a metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile of saidabalone shell.
 10. A method as defined in claim 9, said embedding saidmetal foil embossed iridescent facsimile in said clear casting resincomprising pouring a clear liquid casting resin in a mold to form afirst resin layer, permitting said first resin layer to partiallysolidify, placing said metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile on saidpartially solidified first resin layer, pouring a second layer of clearliquid casting resin over said first layer and said metal foilfacsimile, and completely solidifying said first and second layers ofcasting resin, to embed said metal foil facsimile in the resulting castresin body.
 11. An iridescent cast plastic article which comprises aclear cast resin body having embedded therein an embossed multicolorediridescent facsimile on a metal foil of a multicolored iridescent bodyof varying surface contour, said embossed facsimile having surfaceportions corresponding to the highlights of the surface contour of saidiridescent body, and forming a multicolored iridescent image of saidiridescent body in said cast resin, said image having highlightscorresponding to those of said iridescent body, said image producing amultiplicity of iridescent colors upon movement of said image withrespect to the eye of an observer, said iridescent image produced bysaid metal foil embossed iridescent facsimile embedded in said castresin, closely resembling said multicolored iridescent body.
 12. Aniridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 11, said metal foilbeing an aluminum foil.
 13. An iridescent cast plastic article asdefined in claim 11, said cast resin body being a clear polyester castresin.
 14. An iridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 12,said cast resin body being a clear polyester cast resin.
 15. Aniridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 11, said embossedmulticolored iridescent facsimile being an embossed multicolorediridescent facsimile of a multicolored iridescent abalone shell.
 16. Aniridescent cast plastic article as defined in claim 14, said embossedmulticolored iridescent facsimile being an embossed multicolorediridescent facsimile of a multicolored iridescent abalone shell.